Samantha Knowles-Pratt

Partner

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Samantha has practiced as a commercial attorney for over 17 years.

Samantha has the benefit of having served as a legal counsel and manager at the Securities Commission of The Bahamas and more than twelve years in the private sector at leading firms. At the Securities Commission she was a member of the task force for the drafting of the Investment Funds Act & Regulations, 2003 and the Investment Funds (SMART Funds) Rules.

advising on operating within the telecommunications sector of The Bahamas; and

advising on doing business in The Bahamas.

She is a Director of The Bahamas Financial Services Board (“BFSB”) and is a member of the funds and securities working groups of the BFSB. She is a leader in her area of practice; she assisted with the private sector review of the existing securities laws. In September 2012 the Securities Commission appointed Samantha the co-chair of a technical team to review the investment funds laws of The Bahamas for the purposes of recommending any necessary revision.

She is a frequent presenter at conferences in her areas of practice and has co-authored articles on foundations and trusts in professional publications such as Trust and Trustees and Trust World. Samantha was featured in Bahamas Handbook 2012 on the use of SMART Funds for wealth management and estate planning solutions.

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Citywealth Magazine, in its May 2014 edition, recognized Samantha as one of the up and coming leaders of The Bahamas’ financial services industry.

• Samantha was included amongst a cadre of Bahamian securities lawyers and experts who were honoured for their contribution to the BFSB’s Working Group for the development of the Investment Condominium (ICON) legislation. She received her award at the BFSB 2014 Excellence Awards Ceremony.

• Samantha was the exclusive recipient of the Client Choice Award 2015, in the category of Securitisations & Structure Finance for The Bahamas. Client Choice is based in the United Kingdom and recognizes partners around the world that stand apart for the excellent client care that they provide and the quality of service.

BAR ADMISSIONS

1998 Admitted a counsel and attorney of the Supreme Court of The Bahamas